Jamie McGregor Franklin sentenced for dangerous driving causing death

A driving menace had already caused one crash and been hit with more than a dozen other traffic tickets before he caused the accident which claimed the lives of an innocent country couple while they were travelling home with their beloved border collies.

A crash that claimed the lives of a Glenwood couple has been described as “almost inevitable” by a judge after a court heard of the culprit’s “reckless and irresponsible” driving in the lead up to the incident.

Jamie McGregor Franklin, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous driving causing death when he appeared via videolink in Maryborough District Court on Monday.

Glenwood’s Robyn and Lindsay Jensen died at the scene.

The crash happened at Anderleigh Rd at Gunalda on March 6, 2020.

The Jensens, loved local animal carers who had owned a clothing boutique in Tin Can Bay, were travelling home with their beloved border collies.

TRAGIC: Lindsay and Robyn Jensen were tragically killed in a head-on car crash near Gympie. A relative has said they were "two of the most loving people you would meet."

The court heard it was a flat, sealed section of road with no obstructions or defects but Franklin’s manner of driving had already caused alarm among the two teenagers in the car with him that day.

One of the teens was trying to find an address of his mate, who they were going to pick up.

There was confusion about where the boy lived, the court heard, and Franklin looked over to try to help, swerving onto the wrong side of the road on several occasions.

Travelling at 100km/h, one of the boys told him to slow down and focus on his driving.

The other boy started to play a game on his phone to try to distract himself from his concern about how Franklin was driving, the court was told.

As Franklin once again drifted onto the wrong side of the road while trying to help with finding the address, he collided with a Nissan Pulsar travelling in the opposite direction.

One of the teenagers in his car suffered a broken ankle and collarbone but the Jensens would never make it home.

The couple’s devastated family was in court to hear the sentence, as was Franklin’s mother and partner.

Franklin had a poor traffic history, the court heard, having been busted speeding 13 times over the years and losing his licence three times because of the accumulation of demerit points.

He had also been in a crash about 18 months before the double fatality and had been sentenced for driving without due car and attention after he fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a tree.

The court heard Franklin had a mild intellectual impairment and was on a disability pension.

He had expressed his remorse for causing this “absolute tragedy”.

Franklin had faced bullying at school the court heard, leaving in Year 8.

He had suffered post traumatic stress in the aftermath of the fatal crash, with the court hearing he suffered nightmares about what he had caused and the consequences of his actions.

The crash had led to the abuse of meth, which was how Franklin found himself behind bars prior to sentencing for the dangerous driving charge.

The couple had been friends of his mother’s and were known to him.

He had an offer of work in landscaping after his release.

Franklin had vowed to never drive again, the court was told.

Judge Bradley Farr said Franklin had a disregard for road rules and had “demonstrably failed to learn any lesson”.

“The consequence of this disregard has had a catastrophic outcome,” he said.

Before the collision, Franklin didn’t brake because “you didn’t see the car in front of you, not even at the last second”.

His actions had a significant and devastating impact on other people, Judge Farr said.

He described Franklin’s driving as “reckless and irresponsible”.

He said he accepted Franklin had suffered emotionally and was genuinely remorseful.

“Nothing, of course, can bring the Jensens back,” he said.

Franklin was sentenced to five and a half years in prison, with parole eligibility set for August 4, 2023.

The 217 days he had spent in presentence custody was declared as time served.

He was absolutely disqualified from ever holding a licence.